AL:ICE-9 (12 page)

Falling in behind Jake and reverting to her training, she covered their six on the way out. As Jake led the way, she ensured no one came at them from behind. Before long, they reached the opening where Jake had dispatched the two sitting men. Indicating for her to wait there, Jake moved on the opposite way, pulling out charges from his satchel and placing them at irregular intervals.

Once the bag was empty, he dropped it and returned to the waiting Sara, her body language betraying her impatience. He could hardly blame her. As they prepared to leave, Jake gave the command. “All positions, you are a go!”

With that, he simply stepped out and started walking back to the opening in the fence he had created earlier. Sara followed, confused at first, until a loud thud sounded from behind, startling her. Turning, she was just in time to see a second body fall from the upper elevations. Then another one dropped.

Finally she asked, “Jake what the hell is happening?”

Jake simply replied, “Sniper practice,” and kept walking.

Once they were both through the fence, two of the A Troop flyers landed and Jake jumped on one while pointing to the other for Sara. After they were clear of the area and all safely huddled with Abby’s troopers, Jake ordered the retrieval of the two support teams by B Troop.

Before one of the B Troopers made his pickup, he dropped off a special passenger. Removing his helmet, and indicating for Sara to do the same, he motioned the two to come closer.

“Lisa, this is Sara. You just saved her life,” then Jake handed her a box. It was somewhat sappy, but Jake had asked ALICE for a switch detonator for this mission. Old fashion and totally unnecessary as he could have just done it from his helmet, he armed it and handed it to Lisa.

“Would you please do the honors?”

Confused at first, she looked down at the box, the red safety cover was up, and the toggle switch exposed below. The Jake pointed at the stadium and then the switch, giving her the thumbs up.

Not even looking at the box, and completely focused on the structure below, she flipped the switch. Even Jake was impressed. The charges ALICE had provided, though small, shot off a wall of flame, rubble and sound that threatened to knock them all off their feet.

The initial flash blinded Jake for a moment and he began regretting removing his helmet. Made mostly of concrete, there was not a lot to burn, but what could, did. The rest was a pulverized mess. At one point there was a particularly deep depression, Jake suspected that once had been a sump well.

After a moment, Lisa turned to Jake and gave him a very long hug. Once she released him, she looked up and simply said, “Maria thanks you,” then handed him the detonator, turned and walked away.

Chapter 12

Brian had been running drills their entire trip to the edge of the solar system. As it was with most new crews, it was a good policy to practice, practice, and more practice. He and his XO had established a training schedule that permitted a good amount of experience for each duty shift. The object of it all was to gain familiarity with their responsibilities and to work closely with those around them.

They actually moved a few personnel around to differing shifts. This allowed them to combine individuals with personalities that were more compatible. Not that there were any personality problems per se, it was just that some people worked better together.

Brian found his XO actually had good insight into people. She just didn’t have that touch to communicate with a positive message. The woman made “good morning” sound insulting.

Once they reached the edge of the solar system, they had a series of pre-programmed faster than light runs to make, provided it worked at all with Jake’s additions to the ship. He hoped it all panned out as the removal of the added firepower had demoralized some of the crew. No one liked leaving guns behind in a firefight.

----*----

Chris had agreed to allow Jake to use his compound as a rallying point after Sara’s rescue. There was room in the courtyard for both A and B Troop hover cycles and Jake’s, but they needed to move the helicopter out front near the armored transport to make room. With the burning remnants of the stadium still glowing on the horizon, no outsiders would come near either. Jake had also requested ALICE reactivate the transport for Chris’ use.

They performed an after action head count in the courtyard to ensure everyone was present and accounted for, during which Jake lifted the helmet removal ban. With his legacy well in place by now, the ALICEs had been less rabid over his occasional breaches of external personal security.

Jake noted the mix of his and Chris’ people in the yard gave all a sense of comradery and helped cement the relationship that would be required for the coming months. He was well aware that this was not the end of the LA intervention, just the beginning. Chris had been very forthcoming concerning all the other factions that called LA home. Jake had just removed the worst, but not the only group that required attention.

During the headcount, Jake pulled Sara aside and took full advantage of the lack of helmet, kissing her long and hard. She responded with an even greater intensity, not backing away until he finally pushed her back, but only so he could verify with his own eyes she was whole and unharmed.

“This is twice now,” he started.

“You think I do this on purpose?” She replied, far less irritated at the statement than she sounded.

“No, but I’m not sure I can’t take a third. This one almost did me in.”

Sara laughed and responded, “I didn’t do me any good either, and I hurt all over. The bastards hung me in a room and used a bat on me when they couldn’t strip me. My suit took most of the impact, but I suspect I look like your ribs underneath.”

“Yeah, you don’t want to know what I know about that room. You are lucky you’re still alive. I only wish I knew which bastard was swinging the bat.”

Sara smiled at that, “He was the one you set afire at the pit. I thought that was very romantic,” she finished, kissing him again.

Jake made a mental note that Sara had toughened up quite a bit since her last near death experience. He wasn’t sure if that was completely a good thing, but it was probably necessary in the long run.

Once everything was in order, he had everyone button back up and then led Sara and the two sniper teams out to the helicopter. Sara had protested that she wanted to ride the hover cycle with Jake on the return flight. However, Jake agreed with Kathy, who called in from Nevada, stating that Sara needed to report there, ASAP for a full medical once over.

Once the helicopter was off and on its way, Jake went back inside the compound to finish up with Chris. As he already possessed communicators as part of his “patrol hijacking” Jake demonstrated how they operated and assured him someone would be following up with a more formal support agreement. Chris indicated that wouldn’t be necessary, things were pretty informal here, but Jake insisted. It was better to get a clear understanding up front on what to expect from both parties.

That completed, Jake had his “Odd Squad” mount up, and with him in the lead, they all headed up and to the Northeast for the two-hour ride home.

----*----

Jake and his hoard arrived at ALICE-1 about sunrise, in the middle of the Nevada dessert. The beauty of the desert in the morning sun was wasted on the haggard group as they made their approach. It was a calm sunny morning, without a cloud in the sky. The rooftop hangar doors were already open, awaiting their arrival.

After dropping into the hangar, he had the hover cycles parked to one side and out of the way, but left them out for all to see. The cat was now officially out of the bag, so he felt he could reward the curious, should they choose to investigate.

It had been a long night for everyone, and so he pointed them all to the ready room for showers and bed. Doing an After Action review would have to wait for a good days sleep. Maybe even a night after that.

Leaving his helmet on his cycle, Jake went straight into the infirmary. As of his last “in flight” status check, Sara was in residence there under a doctor’s supervision. His only stop along the way was to greet Linda, who had just left Sara herself, and was on her way to start her day. With a kiss and a reassurance of circling back later, she let him pass.

As he entered the infirmary proper, Kathy was there to meet him at the door.

“So this is how you guys party at the island?” She asked with a smirk, “I think I’ll pass entirely.”

“Very funny,” Jake replied, and then gave her a kiss as well, “How is she?”

“Bruised, battered, but on the whole, in better shape than you are I think. No broken ribs, the suit did its job remarkably well considering her description of the events,” she finished.

“That’s a relief!” Jake exclaimed.

“She isn’t leaving here today though. You can see her, but then I want to look you over. I have a sneaking suspicion you have been ignoring doctor’s orders,” she finished.

Stealing another kiss before he passed, Kathy stepped aside and then moved on to her other patients. Jake continued into the next room, with a layout exactly as the facility in Washington that had been his residence not so very long ago.

“Hey you,” Jake said as he approached Sara’s bed and planted a kiss on her lips.

“Hey yourself,” she replied after they slowly parted, her face still inches from his, “What took you so long?”

Jake was tempted to make a joke about stopping off for a quick one with the boys, but was just too damn tired to banter with her. While the last 24 hours had been more than physically draining, the emotional toll had been far worse. Honestly, if he thought he could get away with it, he would have just crawled into her bed and passed out.

Slowly drawing back he replied, “I had a few issues to finalize with Chris before we left and with everyone well past 24 hours on duty, we didn’t push the speed limit on the trip back.”

They continued to talk for a few more minutes, Jake apologizing profusely about putting her in that position, before Sara, who could barely keep her eyes open, shooed him away. Jake turned and headed back out the way he came, only to have Kathy snag him again and lead him into an examination room.

“OK, strip,” she commanded.

Too tired to put up a fight, he did as commanded. After removing his undergarment, Kathy began a visual exam, specifically checking the injured ribs. She had him sit on the exam table and then began running several diagnostic tools over him.

“That’s odd,” she mumbled to herself, checking her wall display again, it showed both Jake’s file from Washington as well as images of the injured area. After checking and then double-checking, she finally asked, “ALICE, are you seeing this too?”

“If you are referring to Jake’s recovery, yes, his injuries are almost completely healed. I would estimate that in two to three days he will be completely recovered.”

At that point, Jake realized that he wasn’t sure Kathy or any of the medical staff knew about his exposure while in stasis. His strength and speed was well known but Jake had always assumed that the ALICEs had passed along the reason why.

“ALICE, does Kathy know?” Jake asked.

“Know what?” Kathy asked with a suspicious tone to the question.

“Of your exposure, yes. Concerning the possible consequences, no,” ALICE supplied.

ALICE then continued, “Kathy, the exposure Jake survived while in stasis has had measurable effects on his physiology. The positive influences of speed and strength you may have surmised. However, we are not yet sure what negative impact may exist. He may live a normal lifespan, potentially longer if these rejuvenating abilities continue. Or it may be shortened if the elevated metabolism, well, burns him out prematurely.”

“Does Sara know?” Kathy asked in a hushed tone, her concern evident.

“No one else knows the details you have just been provided. As it is truly unexplored territory, it was suggested we leave it unspoken,” ALICE finished.

“And that explains the huge push for children, strike while the iron is hot,” Jake tossed in for good measure.

“OK, I will keep the secret. But if thing starts to turn for the worse, you need to tell everyone,” Kathy put forth.

“Hey, so far, it’s all good!” Jake said with a humor in his voice he didn’t feel.

----*----

Leaving Kathy with a promise of a lingering visit for both her and their child, Jake headed straight to his room. Not bothering to redress in his BDU as he left medical, he borrowed some scrubs, sending his uniform off with a bot for cleaning. Once clean, they would return it to his locker in the ready room, off the main hangar.

It was a short walk to the main elevators and a quick drop to the level below. His room was the first door across the hall, always clean, and ready as he entered. ALICE made sure that all was exactly as Jake liked it there.

Technically, Jake had the exact same room in every ALICE facility. They were all identical as far as crew quarters and such, but this particular room always suggested home to him. As his first, he had a special attachment to this ALICE, in this location.

It was here that his release from stasis came. It was also here, that he recruited the original six women, who now seemed to run his life. That made him smile as he considered the thought, as there were far worse ways to live.

With a nice hot shower and a light breakfast, delivered to his room, he was soon in bed fast asleep.

----*----

The next few days were a repetition of meetings, briefings, and status reports, all for Jake’s benefit. He had slept all that first day back, and into the following night before finally appearing from his room. He was just in time to assist Sara in moving out of medical and into her own room near Jake’s.

Granting her a few days leave of duty was more of a joke, as she never left Jake’s side as he went through his list of neglected tasks. Top of the list was a review of Jake’s neglecting his own rules in leaving Sara alone on the rooftop. He took his beating like a man and swore to at least communicate his intentions better in the future before just running off.

With the “Odd Squad” out in the open and the “Special Projects” surrounding LA no longer a secret, he was free to address his normal responsibilities. As expected, he was also flooded with requests to join the unit.

Those responsibilities were the current topic of today’s staff meeting. Held in a small conference room just off the main control room, it was big enough for about 18-20 people around the oval table in the center of the room. In addition, it was “wired” to project holographic images of remote participants, either in a seat, near a wall or over the table.

In the room were Patti, Sara, Karen, and Linda besides Jake. Remotely connected, as seated participants were Jessie, Bonnie, Jacob, James who was still acting commander in South Dakota, and Sharon. Newly released from medical, she was still on restricted duty, meaning nothing stressful or strenuous.

Linda started with, “Jake we need to cover a ton of stuff that you have been avoiding the last 2 months.”

“Beyond the obvious, like what?” Jake asked, referring to what had become daily reminders of his recent withdrawal. It seemed like every meeting had started with, “Since you weren’t here to decide.”

“Well, we still haven’t officially activated and occupied ALICE-5 in Maine and ALICE-3 in Georgia. Neither is in a critical state at the moment, but we should get them staffed,” Bonnie offered.

“ALICE tells me the battleship won’t be ready for use by humans for at least four years,” Patti chipped in, “we just don’t have enough resources to make it available any sooner.”

“I have Sandy working with Chris in LA, both to negotiate a support agreement and as a start to Intel gathering,” Linda supplied in turn.

ALICE then offered, “Jake we should also consider promoting you. Your current rank of Major has the structure below you very compressed and difficult to manage. With Sara as captain and more ships and facilities coming available, the rank structure stands as 1
st
and 2
nd
lieutenants only, besides the use of enlisted ranks. Unless you don’t expect Sara to maintain a higher position than her subordinates, we need to do something?”